Christoph adolf giebeleb-wanke



C. A. GlEBELER-WANKE. v DOLL'S LIMB AND JOINT THEREFOR.

APFLICATION FILED 1AN.24, 191'8. RENEWED SEPT.29. 19m.

1,32 1,028, Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

A TTORNE Y N FFTQFL.

DOLLS LIMB AND J OI1\T 'I THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 4, 1919.

Application filed January 24, 1918, Serial No. 213,496. Renewed September 29, 1919. Serial No. 327,179.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPH ADOLF GIEBELER-WANKE, a citizen -of Germany, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the county, city, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dolls Limbs and Joints Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in dolls limbs and joints therefor, and has for an object to provide an improved construction which will enable the joint to operate easily and in a manner as to permit the doll to assume postures corresponding to those of the human body, to the end that the doll will be more life like, and attractive. Moreparticularly, the present disclosed embodiment is intended to enable the doll to assume a proper standing and sitting attitude, and to be firmly supported in these positions. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved thigh member, which will be of economical and simple construction, and which may be constructed of very durable material, such as wood, thereby permitting of certain novel structural features which would not be practicable with composition materials, and preventing to a large extent wearing of the joints, and the scraping noise usually accompanying the movements of ordinary dolls. A still further object is to provide such a member which may be turned to shape by machinery, greatly simplifying and economizing the process of manufacture, and enabling the production of a high class doll in large quantities and relatively cheaply.

With these and other objects in view, an embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodr ment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a doll embodying my improvements, and broken away above the waist and below the knees;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof in standing position;

Fig. 3 is a side view in sitting position;

Fig. 4 is a view half in elevation and half in section of the upper limb section, as it is turned to shape;

Fig. 5 shows the same with parts removed prior to finishing;

Fig. 6 is a view of the oval joint portion, as it is turned to shape;

Fig. 7 is a view showing the same slotted;

Fig. 8 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the completed section, with the portions shown in Figs. 5 and 7 assembled; and

Fig. 10 is a top view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 4 to 10 thereof, the upper limb or thigh section comprises a tubular member 20 preferably formed of wood, and turned to shape, preferably by machinery, the outer surface resembling the shape of the upper portion of the human leg. A large socket 21 and a relatively small socket 22 are provided at the respective ends of the sections, and communicate with the cylindrical bore 23. The width of the sockets is slightly less than that of the ends of the section, so that narrow bearing surfaces 24 and 25 are provided circumferentially of the sockets.

A11 incline-d fiat surface 26 is produced at the upper end of the section 20 by removing a portion thereof, and at the lower end another inclined surface 27 is produced in a similar manner at the other side. A spheroidal shaped joint member 28, also preferably formed of wood and turned to shape, is provided with an axial bore 29 of a smaller radius than the bore 23, and a radial longitudinal slot 30 preferably slightly less in width than said bore 29, is cut from the outer surface of the member to said bore.

The member 28 is secured in the socket 21 by gluing or the like, its axis being substantially coincident with the axis of the mem ber 20, although the difference in the size of the bores 29 and 23 will permit of their proper registering, even though the member 28 is inaccurately placed in the socket, and the joint will function properly. This is quite important where dolls are produced in great quantities, and the assembling of the members is by hand.

After securing of the members 20 and 28, the thigh section is sized and coated to give the same a suitable flesh like appearance. The lower limb section 31 is secured to the thigh section by an elastic cord 32 passing upwardly through the bores 23 and 29 into the dolls trunk, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out, and having its bight engaging a hook 33, connected at 34: to the lower limb section and disposed in a ball 35 disposed between the limb sections, and fitted into the respective sockets 22 and 36. The bearing surface or shoulder 25 limits the forward movement of the section 31, while the inclined surface 27 permits of the usual back movement of the lower limb section.

The trunk 37 is provided with a socket 38, extending at the rear to the flat rear portion 39 of the trunk, and at the front to an inclined flat surface l0, this surface 40 at one side being at a slight angle to the surface 40 at the other side, so that the leg sections are slightly spread in the sitting position of the doll, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out. An opening 41 is provided in the socket substantially in line with the bores 29 and 23 of the leg section in its vertical position, and the elastic cord 32 extends upwardly therethrough, and is secured within the trunk in any suitable manner.

In the standing position, there is a direct vertical pull'upon the elastic cord, which substantially intersects the point formed at the intersection of the surfaces 39 and 40, so that the leg is held firmly in its vertical po sition, and the doll will stand upright without any tendency to fall over.

In the sitting position, the inclined surface 26 of the leg section snugly engages the surface 40 of the trunk, and the elastic exerts both a rearward and upward pull, the resultant force of which firmly holds the surfaces 26 and 40 to each other, the cord being substantially at right angles to the inclined surfaces, and extending at each side and adjacent thereto, so that there will be no danger of the doll wabbling. This action is possible because of the novel arrangement of the slot 30 extending to the surface 26. In prior constructions, the cord 'emerged from the ball at a point above the inclined surface, and these constructions did not permit of the slot extending to the inclined surface, so that a different and unsatisfactory action resulted. The leg could not have as great a latitude of movement as is afforded in the present structure, and the doll could not assume a proper sitting attitude.

I have illustrated a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A doll comprising a trunk member having sockets in its lower part opening into its interior, straight surfaces at its lower end and beveled surfaces at its front intersecting with said sockets and forming angles with said straight surfaces aforesaid, hollow thigh members provided at their upper ends with straight surfaces in their rear portions and beveled surfaces in their front portions, said thigh members having slotted ball joints fitting the sockets of said trunk member, hollow leg members jointed to said thigh members, and elastic flexible tension devices connecting said body, thigh and leg members.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name.

UHRISTOPH ADOLF GIEBELER-WANKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

